Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service office in Tulsa indicate Muskogee was hit by two tornadoes Thursday night — an EF1 and an EF2.
Six EF1 tornadoes occurred in Wagoner and Cherokee counties about the same time.
The EF2 tornado hit about 10:41 p.m., and damaged a large area along Shawnee Bypass in Muskogee between 11th Street and Chicago Street, with most damage occurring north of Shawnee Bypass.
EF1 tornadoes have a wind speed of 86 to 110 mph, and an EF2 has wind speeds of 111 to 135 mph, according to the National Weather Service website.
Whispering Pines Apartments, owned and operated by the Muskogee Housing Authority, took the biggest hit. The roof was torn off 12 units, leaving 54 people homeless, said MHA Executive Director Blake Farris.
Of those 12 families, two have been placed in other apartments at Whispering Pines, he said, “and we’re in the process now of helping other families find housing, whether it be with a voucher or other means.”
An insurance adjuster visited the apartments Monday to look at the damage. Farris said they will have to make a decision whether they are repairable or will need to be rebuilt. If repairable, those repairs could take up to three months, while rebuilding could take six to nine months, he said.
City of Muskogee Emergency Management Director Mark Bolding said he has been in contact with the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management about doing damage assessments for individuals and businesses in city limits.
Several businesses near the apartments suffered damage, including Chili’s, store fronts in Three Rivers Plaza, and the Tint Shop on 11th Street. Other areas affected by the tornado include Rodeway Inn on 32nd Street, which had roof damage, individual homes along Harris Road near Main Street, and uprooted trees and roof damage here and there around town.
Just a few minutes before the EF2 hit Muskogee’s city limits, an EF1 hit about two miles west, southwest of Muskogee which uprooted trees, damaged homes and knocked down power poles, according to the NWS report.
Wagoner County saw three EF1 tornadoes between 10:34 and 10:52 p.m., causing uprooted trees, snapped power poles, and destroyed outbuildings. Cherokee County had two EF1 tornadoes, causing damaged homes near Hulbert at 10:52 p.m. and uprooted trees near Peggs at 11:01 p.m.
by Wendy Burton
May 23, 2017
